A Roadshow will start at Arowhenua Marae in Timaru on Tuesday and make its way to the top of the North Island over the coming months.

IWI JOIN FOR KOKAKO RELEASE

Iwi from Tamaki Makaurau and the King Country are coming together to boost the population of a bird prized by Maori.

20 kokako from the Mapara Reserve near Te Kuiti will be released into the Hunua Ranges south of Auckland tomorrow.

Auckland Regional Council scientist Tim Lovegrove, says the birds will add genetic diversity to the Hunua population, which is believed to include 10 breeding pairs.

Mr Lovegrove says the birds will be accompanied by Ngati Maniapoto, who will hand them over to members of Ngati Paoa, Ngai Tai o Umupuia and Ngati Tama Oho

Tim Lovegrove says the song of the kokako varies from rohe to rohe, so recordings of Mapara songs will be played in the Hunua ranges to help the birds settle into their new home.

THOUSANDS WAIT FOR TANGI ENTRY

Thousands of people waited patiently today outside Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia for the chance to pay their respects to Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who is lying in state on the marae.

Waatea News reporter Mania Clark says about 5000 people went on shortly after 8 this morning, including Prime Minister Helen Clark and members of the Labour caucus, Ngati Porou, Taranaki, Ngati Hine, Kahungunu, Kohanga Reo, Maori Women's Welfare League and others.

Another 5000 people, including a large number of groups from Maori schools, waited outside through the day and did not get called on until after 5 this evening.

Ms Clark says Tainui, with assistance from the army, ensured there was ample food and drink inside and outside the marae.

She says the challenge laid down by Ngapuhi yesterday, that it wanted a say in the selection of Dame te Ata's successor, found little favour with other tribes.

PAHAUWERA ASSERT CUSTOM

Northern Hawkes Bay iwi Ngati Pahuwera has become the third group to lodge an application for a customary rights order under the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

The application covers the area from the Waikare River to the Poututu Stream

Lawyer Grant Powell says the claim seeks recognition of a range of customary activities, including gathering of sand and gravel for growing vegetables and landscaping, gathering of stones for traditional weapons, carvings, hangi and fishing line sinkers, and collecting kokowai or red ochre for a range of cultural practices.

He says the iwi also used seawater for medicinal purposes.

Maori Land Court registrar Shane Gibbons says to establish a customary rights order, iwi need to demonstrate uninterrupted use of a resource.

The court is also considering applications by Whakatohea for the foreshore and seabed near Opotiki and Te Makati for an area in the Catlins at the bottom of the South Island.

MARAE LITERACY ROLE

Marae could be used more to help improve literacy.

Tertiary Education Commission funding advisoe, Dr Pushpa Wood, says marae along with workplaces and community groups are entitled to apply for funding for such programmes.

She says literacy is best taught close to home.

Pushpa Wood says lifting the literacy of one person in a family can lift the literacy of the whole family.

Queen a woman of grace

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the late Dame Te Ata i Rangikaahu was a woman of grace took Maoridom forward in her 40 years at the head of the King Movement.

Mrs Turia was at the tangihanga for Dame Te Ata yesterday with her Whanganui iwi, which has close links with the Kingitanga.

She says the Maori queen was able to look to the future without giving up the past.

Mrs Turia says there are lessons to be learned from her understated leadership style.

Tariana Turia says Dame Te Ata never lost her humility, her grace and her love of her people.

Turangawaewae Marae is expecting a further influx of thousands of mourners today.

TOURISM CAMPAIGN NEARS

Associate tourism minister Dover Samuels says the time may be close for an overseas marketing campaign for Maori tourism operators.

Mr Samuels met Bay of Plenty Maori operators in Tauranga this week, and was impressed with the range of products and experiences on offer.

He says many of their offerings are export-ready, but the sector must target its promotional efforts effectively.

Mr Samuels says Maori tourism has moved beyond kapa haka and waiata and a giving tourists a range of genuine Maori experiences.

Dover Samuels says Tourism New Zealand research indicates a Maori experience is the second most common reason people give for coming to New Zealand after its clean green image.

KAIKOURA RAHUI EXTENDED

Maori in Kaikoura are welcoming an extension of a ban on taking kaimoana from the region.

Yesterday the Minister of Fisheries Jim Anderton, confirmed the rahui will remain in place for the next 2 years.

Te Runanga O Kaikoura spokesperson Thomas Kahu, says the ban was put in in place four years ago, after concerns at plummeting fish stocks.

He says there was buy in from the whole community, because people want to protect the resource for future generations.

TE ARIKINUI REMEMBERED AS PERSON

One of the Maori queen's closest advisors says those paying tribute to her status should not overlook the fact she was a wonderful person.

Dame Te Ata i Rangikaahu is lying in state at Turangawaewae as tribes from around the motu o mourn her passing.

James Ritchie, who has known and worked with Tainui leaders for half a century, says Dame Te Ata's role as a leader did not overwhelm her other roles as a mother, a grandmother and a friend to those around her.

Professor Ritchie says the time the family and close supporters had with her at the start of the six-day tangi was particularly poignant.

Thousands of mourners are expected today, including Ngati porou and Kahungunu from the east Coast and representatives of Pacific communities.

KOKAKO TO BE RELEASED

An Auckland Regional Council scientist says a programme to increase the kokako poulation in the Hunua Ranges will be boosted by the release of pairs from the Mapara Reserve in the King Country.

Tim Lovegrove says recordings of kokako birdsong will be played in the forest to help the birds from the south adjust to their new environment.

Mr Lovegrove says the birds have long been revered by Maori for their plumage and their magnificent song.

Iwi from both King Country and Hunua will be on hand for the release tomorrow.

JONES LOOKS TO COURT FUTURE

The head of Labour's Maori Caucus, Shane Jones, says he welcomes modernisation of the Maori Land Court.

The Maori Purposes Bill now before Parliament will allow the court to increase the number of its judges, and Chief Judge Joe Williams has indicated he is considering a number of reforms.

New leader will have good role models

As thousands make their way to Ngaruarawahia for the Tangi of the Maori queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, there is much speculation about who will succeed her.

If tradition is followed, the new leader of the Kingitanga will be announced prior to the burial of the Maori Queen, on Taupiri mountain next Monday.

Garry Nicholas a Maori cultural specialist from Te Ati Awa, says whoever is chosen, has lived through a time where there has been no shortage of role models.

“Whoever replaces Te Atairangikaahu has lived in a time where they have seen great models of leadership. They were there at the time of Bob Mahuta, the time of Pumi Taituha, Henare Tuwhangai, so there are some wonderful role models just as there were for Te Ata when she was a young woman coming through,” Nicholas says.

SYSTEM FAILING TO SEEK QUESTIONSbobbie hunter shy kids

A lecturer and Researcher for the College of Education at Massey University, says teaching techniques need to change to encourage maori and polynesian students to ask more questions in the classroom.

Bobby Hunter is from the Cook Islands, and is doing her doctoral thesis on developing maths practices.

She says she did extensive research on a year 8 to 11 maths class for a year, and found many of the maori and Polynesian students hadn't been taught to ask questions, instead relying on the teacher to do all the talking.

Ms Hunter says that may be due to cultural practices at home or in the church, but in order to improve numeracy, classroom techniques need to help them develop enquiring minds.

“It's not the children who are failing in the system., I’m suggesting the system is failing the children, because they are not explicitly taught how to ask the questions. There are cultural influences, but in the classroom, the teachers have a responsibility to stop doing all the talking and teach those children how to actually say something and stand by it,” Hunter said.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNER SPEAKS

A Tainui woman who was awarded a scholarship to continue her studies to become a Maori language immersion teacher, says there is no better way to give to children a good start in the language.

Bronwyn Liaki says there is a shortage of Maori teachers, and more are needed to cater to the demand for language learning.

She says after four and a half years as a teacher aide at a South Auckland primary school, staff encouraged her to take the plunge and study for her teaching certificate.

Ms Liaki says it was a great honour to be awarded a scholarship in memory of Sonni Rini, a Tuhoe kaumatua who helped establish the Huarahi Maori programme at Auckland University’s College of Education.

But she says there is room for more teacher trainees keen to work in a Maori language environment.

SETTLEMENT ARCHITECTS VISIT TANGI

Among the many hundreds of mourners at the tangi of the Maori Queen at Turangawaewae today, one group stood out for Tainui.

Former National prime ministers Jim Bolger and Jenny Shipley and former treaty negotiations minister Doug Graham were welcomed on this morning, and spoke of the relationship they built up with Dame Te Ata i Rangikaahu during the Waikato Tainui Raupatu Claim settlement.

Professor James Ritchie, a long time adviser to Dame Te Ata, says Tainui people have a special place in their hearts for the retired politicians because of their role in settling the claim.

James Ritchie says 10 years on from the settlement, Tainui is stronger as a tribe than he has seen it in a 50 year association.

MAORI LEARNING ONUS ON TEACHER

Manukau Institute of Technology Maori studied lecturer Kotuku Tibble is taking issue with a new report saying Maori children have low scores in mathematics because they don't ask enough questions.

Massey University lecturer Boobie Hunter has published research claiming Maori and Pacific Island children need to be taught how to ask questions so they can draw level with their Pakeha classmates.

But Mr Tibble says work done in South Auckland schools in the 1980s by eminent Harvard scholar Courtney Cazden identified cultural boundaries in asking elders questions, and she proposed changes in teaching practices.

KAHURANGI KEPT BUSY ON HAKA CIRCUIT

The man behind one of the most successful maori groups to work internationally, says Maori performing arts are a unique expression of this country, and are what international audiences want to see.

Tama Huata says Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre is kept busy accompanying New Zealand trade delegations as well as putting this country and Maori to the fore at festivals and events around the world.

He says with three troupes operating out of New Zealand, New York and Canada, Kahurangi is one of the biggest performing arts companies in this country with 24 permanent staff.

Tama Huata says this week a Kahurangi troupe is performing at the Malaysia New Zealand Business Council's annual dinner in Kuala Lumpur.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Tribes start arriving for tangi

Huge crowds are expected at Ngaruawahia tomorrow for the tangihanga of the Maori queen, Dame Te Ata i Rangikaahu.

While authorities at Turangawaewae Marae were hoping the day would be confined to Waikato tribes, iwi from around the country have been making their own arrangements to get to the Tainui heartland.

Tainui spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta says the marae is not trying to schedule iwi, but is prepared for whoever comes.

She says one of the reasons Turangawaewae was built was to cope with the large hui which are part of the Kingitanga calendar.

Buses are leaving from Rotorua at dawn to take Te Arawa mourners, and a large contingents is expected to arrive from Tai Tokerau iwi in the afternoon.

Ngati Porou from the East Coast and Kahungunu from Hawkes Bay will be coming through on Friday.

BRASH PRAISED APOLITICAL STANCE

National Party leader Don Brash says the Maori queen's apolitical stance earned her the respect of politicians regardless of party.

Dr Brash says he had huge respect for Dame Te Ata, especially because of her apolitical approach.

Don Brash says he had huge respect for the quiet dignity Dame Te Ata brought to her role.

SMOKEFREE MARAE MAKES SIX YEARS

The chairperson of a Whangarei Marae says going smokefree is worth the effort.

Pehiaweri banned smoking six years ago, and Shirley-Ann Brown says it has led to a greater awareness of health issues.

Ms Brown said the marae whanau looked at the big picture of health,

Shirley-Ann Brown says there is considerable support in the north for Taitokerau MP Hone Harawira's pushing for more marae to declare themselves smoke free.

HAKA THE NATIONAL DANCE

A prominant Maori performing arts tutor says like it or loathe it, the haka is the dance of New Zealand.

Tama Huata runs Maori Dance Theatre company Kahurangi, which has been working internationally for the past 15 years.

He says the most recognisable feature of this country to people overseas, is the haka, .

Tama Huata says people can't be too precious about protecting the intellectual property in the performing arts, because the digital age means it is easy to record and share images and performances.

meteria tangi

Green Party Maori Affairs spokesperson Metiria Turei says the Kingitanga serves as a constant reminder of the struggle by Maori for self determination.

Large crowds are expected at the Turangawawae tomorrow for the tangi of the sixth leader of the Kingitanga, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who died on Monday.

Meteria Turei says Dame Te Ata set a great example whoever is chosen by the tribes of the Kingitangia as Te Arikinui.

"She represented a form of Maori autonomy and control over our own affairs. She is part of a long struggle for that kind of self determination. She was a living demonstration of that. It is really sad to lose her but it is great the whole process is going to continue," Turei said.

Te Arawa is expected to join mourners from around the Waikato at Ngaruawahia this morning, with Ngapuhi due in the afternoon.

Chairperson Craig Coxhead says the complex, which cost $16 million to buy and do up three years ago, doesn't fit with the wananga's reorganisation plans.

The wananga developed the library so it could comply with New Zealand Qualification Authority requirements for state-funded tertiary institutions.

Mr Coxhead says the wananga's Hamilton operations will be consolidated into Raroera, a former hotel in Te Rapa.

"Te Awamutu will still be the head office, but the library and other services will be centralised in Raroera. Part of the reason is the space that is available in that area," Coxhead said.

Craig Coxhead says Te Wanganga o Aotearoa currently has 18 and a half thousand equivalent full time students, which is ahead of budget.

ARNOLD WILSON BOOK LAUNCHED

A rangatira of the Maori art scene is sharing his philosophies on the teaching of Maori art in a new book to be launched at Government House in Auckland today

Te Mauri Pakeaka by 79 year old Arnold Wilson and Dr Janinka Greenwood is a history of the programme Wilson developed for Maori and Pakeha to engage with Maori values, arts and approaches to learning, often in a marae setting.

Pakeaka affected the lives of thousands of people before its demise in the education reforms of the late 1980s.

Mr Wilson, from Ngai Tuhoe says the name came from the Maori word for reassessment.

"Pakeaka was taken from one of the old books. Where two war parties come together, they back off and reassess what they are doing. It's the same reassessment I was looking at in how we were going to introduce art into our world," Wilson said.

Maori Queen dies

Tainui and the motu have started a week of mourning for Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

The Maori queen died at 5.32 yesterday evening at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia, surrounded by family and supporters.

Under Kingitanga protocol, Dame Te Ata will lie in state at Turangawaewae for a week before she is buried with her ancestors on the sacred mountain Taupiri.

The former Princess Piki was 35 when she became head of the Kingitanga in 1966, on the death of her father Koroki.

She was patron to dozens of organisations, and no major Maori intitiative went ahead without her support being sought.

Dame Te Ata cultivated friendly relations with successive Prime Ministers and governments, but she was also prepared to challenge the Crown to uphold Maori rights.

Sir Graham Latimer, the chair of the New Zealand Maori Council, says the support of Dame Te Ata was a critical factor in the council's battles.

IN: It helped up to for instance take the Crown to court over State Owned Enterprises, over forestry. That support came without hesitation. Every time I rang her, she said 'Graham, do what is right for the people,' and she never lagged in supporting anyone," Sir Graham said.

Ms Clark says there were few major intitiatives in Maoridom she was not associated with, and she showed and courage in her leadership.

"Dame Te Ata was very much a unifying fiogure and she used the mana of her high office to bring people together. It is significant that her people were the very first to entrer a major treaty setlement with the crown. That took courage, but she put her weight behind it. It was to the benefit of her people, and many others have been able to follow in their wake," Clark said.

Helen Clark says Dame Te Ata had enormous dignity, a lot of humility, a good sense of humour and a lot of warmth.

Dame Te Ata was also known for tying together the threads of whakapapa, not just among the tribes of Aotearoa but throughout the Pacific.

Pa Ariki, the queen of Takitimu or Rarotonga, says her family had a close relationship with the Kaahui Ariki, with her sister Mahinerangi being adopted by Te Puia and being brought up with Princess Piki.

"She was always very discreet, she was always looking for a way to facilitate things. She was never aggressive in her style. She had enormous dignity and a lot of humility. She also had a good sense of humour and a lot of warmth. We're going to miss her a lot," Clark said.

SIR HENARE NGATA

Ngati Porou leader Sir Henare Ngata says Dame Te Ata approached her role in a way which benefited all of Maoridom.

Sir Henare says while previous leaders of the Kingitanga had largely confined themselves to Waikato-Tainui, Dame Te Ata reached out across the motu.

He says that had a major impact.

"She made an enormous contribution to the profile of our people, raised the profile not only of Tainui but our whole race during the time she occupied the position she did in Tainui, Enormously gracious lady," Sir Henare said.

SIR HOWARD MORRISON

Entertainer Sir Howard Morrison from Te Arawa says it's a sad day for the country.

He says Dame Te Ata was a true leader for everyone.

"He rangatira and yet the humilty of the lady, her graciousness. She deserved more time for herself, but the reign of queen just didn't stay in Tainui, because she had a bigger role to play for the whole motu. It's a sad day for the motu, for the country," Sir Howard said.

LEAGUE MOURN'S MANA WAHINE

Among the many organisations Dame Te Ata supported as patron was the Maori Women's Welfare League.

The league is due to hold its annual hui at Turangawaewae next month.

Past president Dame Georgina Kirby says Dame Te Ata often travelled with the eight past presidents, and was a huge influence on the league.

Tangi starts for Maori queen

Tainui people have arrived in their thousands on the first day of the Tangi for Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who died yesterday aged 75.

Waaatea News reporter, Manaia Clarke from Te Hoe O Tainui, says while the mood at Turangawaewae is of great sadness, people also speak of their joy the Maori queen was able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her coronation earlier this year and her 75th birthday a fortnight ago.

Mania Clarke says the tangi is expected to be the biggest ever held in the Waikato, and Maori and non Maori from around the country to pay their last respects over the coming week.

RENATA SAYS TAMIHERE CHALLENGING MANDATE

Hauraki Maori Trust Board chairperson Toko Renata says former MP John Tamihere isn't being fully transparent in his attacks on the board.

Mr Tamihere has accused Mr Renata and three other officials of being a gang of four who make all the decisions and ignore the wishes of constituent iwi.

He says his iwi Ngati Porou ki Hauraki wants to leave the board, but is being locked in.

Toko Renata says what Mr Tamihere and others are really upset about is that the trust board was the mandate to settle claims on behalf of the Hauraki whanui.

HAKA IMPACT COULD BE GLOBAL

Arts marketer Toi Maori is looking for ways for Maori performing arts to make a global impact.

Maoridom has been in turmoil today at the tribes make arrangements to get to Ngaruawahia for the tangihanga of Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

Busses have been booked, phone calls made and other arrangements made for what is the largest tangi oif a generation.

Craig Coxhead, the chairperson of Te Wananga o Aoteartoa, says for organisitions with a large Maori workforce, it has required a huge amount of activity to ensure there is sufficient capacity to keep operating while people fulfil their tribal and personal duties.

The tributes have also continued to flow for the Maori gueen, who died yesterday after a long illness aged 75.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says it is an extraordinarily sad time as people remember Dame Te Ata's contributions to Maoridom and the country during her 40 years as head of the Kingitanga.

WHANAU SUPPORT CRITICAL FOR MEDICAL CAREER

A veteran Maori doctor says the key to getting more Maori into the profession is supportive whanau.

Toby Ruakere from Te Atiawa Medical Service says that hasn't changed in his 40 years on the job.

He says many Maori don't appreciate that while the entry bar to a medical career is high, it is achievable with the right kind of whanau support.

Dr Tony Ruakere, who has just been made a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.

DIGITAL RIPOFF PART OF AGE

The digital age is making it increasingly difficult for Maori to protect their images and intellectual property rights from commercial exploitation.

Tama Huata runs Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre, which has been on the international circuit for more than 15 years.

Mr Huata says a lot of work has gone into composition, costuming and choreography, but the group has learned there is not much it can do to stop people on ripping off ideas, especially not that many people carry cellphones with cameras.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Tamihere calls time on Hauraki board

Mr Tamihere fought to get his hapu represented on the board when it was formed in the 1980s.

He says the Hauraki Maori Trust Board is run by a small group of members and staff, and there seems no room for democracy or discussion.

Mr Tamihere says now the Waitangi Tribunal has reported on the Hauraki claim and the fisheries settlement is almost complete, Ngati Porou ki Hauraki wants to chart its own course.

“Funny thing about that is as you are trying to leave a relationship with other iwi, they start voting to lock you up, then they start writing constitutions and deeds that make us a second class citizen, and I’m not going to tolerate that from any Maori group. They can look after their business. They won’t poke their nose into ours. We just want to move out and do our own thing,” Tamihere said.

John Tamihere says other groups in the Hauraki confederation are also concerned at the way the board is trying to become the body to manage Hauraki's fisheries settlement assets.

PM HAPPY WITH SETTLEMENT PACE

The Prime Minister is dismissing claims by the Maori Party that iwi are being forced into accepting inadequate settlements for their treaty claims.

Helen Clark says progress being made in negotiations with Te Arawa, Te Uri o Hau and Ngai Tahu and the opening of talks with top of the South Island tribes shows the settlement process is on track.

She says iwi come to the table well prepared.

“In my experience iwi come to the negotiating table with good legal advice. I don’t believe anyone will be settling for less than they should. I think it’s a pretty thorough process, the benchmarks are pretty well established now, there have been a lot of settlements. And both the iwi and the Crown go into it knowing pretty much where it's going to head.

Helen Clark says the example of Tainui, which has just started work on a new Hamilton hotel, shows the benefits settlements can bring not just iwi but the wider community.

NATIVE PLANTINGS CAN HELP KERERU RECOVERY

Maori living in urban areas are being urged to plant trees to help grow the population of the kereru, or native wood pigeon.

Kereru Recovery Programme spokesperson Eric Dorfman says people in cities don't realise how they can help the bird, whose population has been falling by 20 percent each decade.

Dr Dorfman says cities and suburbs provide safe environments for the birds, if there is enough for them to eat.

“Kereru poulations are doing better in cities than they are in the bush because of all the predator controls in cities, and trying to make people aware they can plant gardens and give these birds a boost in their neighborhoods, like miro and kowhai,” Dorfman said.

WARDENS PART OF NEW ALCOHOL STRATEGY

Maori wardens are to be the eyes and ears of the police in a new stategy to reduce alcohol-related crime.

Sandra Kirby from the Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council says the idea has already worked in Rotorua and Mangere, and is being extended more widely.

Ms Kirby says Maori wardens have powers which other agencies don't, as well as the trust and respect of communities.

“It uses the powers that Maori Wardens have under the Community Development Act to enter licensed premised to be the eyes and ears, but what wardens can do is talk about how premises are being managed and whether Maori are intoxicated or at risk of intoxication and then leave the enforcement of that to the enforcement agencies,” Kirby said,

RUAKERE PRIZED BY FELLOW GPS

A Maori doctor who has given over 40 years service to the people of Taranaki has been honoured with a special award from his peers.

Tony Ruakere, who is 66, was made a distinguished Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.

Dr Ruakere is a member of the Taranaki District Health Board, and is on the Pharmacology and Therapeutic Advisory Committee.

He says the award presentation at the college's annual conference in Auckland was made even more special by the waiata tautoko performed by his whanau .

Dr Ruakere still runs the Te Atiawa health practice with thousands of Maori on its books.

EDUCATOR REMEMBERED IN SCHOLARSHIP

The vision of a pioneering Maori educator was today marked by Auckland University's education faculty.

Mr Riini, who with his wife Mona made major contributions to teacher training and education, died in 1998, a year after the Huarahi Maori programme was set up.

Te Puna Wananga co-head Hemi Dale, says Te Huarahi Maori has created a strong professional group of Maori medium teachers who are now moving into positions of authority in the education system.

“Part of the philosophy Sonny was about was it is not enough just to be a Maori language speaker, you kneed to have the wherewithal, the knowledge and the skills to be a good teacher, and that was part of the vision that Sonny and Mona and others, that was their vision at the time that led to the setting up of Te Huarahi Maori in 1997,” Dale said.

Hemi Dale says scholarship recipients are chose for their academic endeavour and their contribution to Huarahi Maori and the wider Maori education programme.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Time running out to protect culture

A Maori lawyer for the Wai 262 indigenous fauna and flora claim says time is running out to protect Maori intellectual property rights.

Maui Solomon says Maori lost most of their physical assets, but they are holding fast to their cultural and intellectual taonga.

He says they need to establish the case for protection, because the commercial pressure is coming on.

“ People are starting to wake up to the value in the culture, not appreciating the integrity but waking up the commercial value, and now they want to exploit that, they want to colonise that, they want to take that, and Maori say look fells, you’ve taken everything else, this is our intellectual taonga, and if you want to use it, you come and ask us,” Solomon said.

TAINUI STARTS HOTEL BUILD

Tanui has broken the ground for a new 126-room hotel in Hamilton.

The $20 million hotel complex is a joint venture between Tainui, Hamilton City Council and French hotel group Accor, which is a partner in the Tainui Novotel Hotel.

Tainui kaumatua Hare Puke says the new hotel will complement the Novotel and help the city attract conferences and tourists.

Mr Puke says it is part of Tainui's development strategy to ensure Hamilton sees some of the benefits of the Waikato Tainui Raupatu settlement.

CULTURE HARVEST NO PLACE FOR KERERU

It doesn't matter how good they taste, the kereru can't sustain a cultural harvest.

That's the word of Te Papa curator Eric Dorfman, an expert in the native wood pigeon.

Dr Dorfman is involved in Kereru Recovery, a campaign to arrest the declining population of the birds.

He says calls for a harvest by Maori should be resisted.

“It really doesn't look like kereru populations can stand cultural harvests. They are protected under the wildlife act, and that is a recognition of their vulnerable state,” Dorfman said.

Eric Dorfman says the kereru population is declining by 20 percent each decade.

MANIAPOTO TO HOST TE KANAWA AWARD

Ngati Maniopoto will be given the chance to honour one of its most esteemed members later this year.

Maori arts council Te Waka Toi held off presenting its premier award at its annual ceremony this weekend because it wanted the tribe to be involved.

Council chairperson Ngahuia Te Awekotuku says weaver Diggeress Te Kanawa will be honoured with the Te Tohu Tiketike award for her contribution to the ancient art at a ceremony in the King Country later this year.

WAIROA MAYOR WARY TOO ON GISBORNE PLAN

Wairoa mayor Les Probert says he wants to see more detail before he will support a major tourism proposal for the East Coast Region.

Tairawhiti Development Partnership wants to win major regional initiative funding for a development built around Te Toka a Taiau, the rock near the mouth of the Turanganui River in Gisborne where Captain Cook first made landfall in 1769.

Mr Probert says it's a good idea, but he wants to see the quality of historical research going into the project.

Mr Probert says that makes further discussion, research and preparation about any future venture all the more important:

“What we don't want is a plastic tourism thing like we get so often,” Probert said.

Les Probert says the cultural and historical integrity of the area must be preserved by any development.

ELDER REJECTS MARAE ANTI-SMOKING ROLE

A leading Tainui kaumatua says Maori Party MP Hone Harawira's call for elders to ban smoking from marae is inappropriate.

Hare Puke says it's up to parents to lead the anti-smoking drive rather than tribal elders.

Mr Puke says the strength in society comes from the home, and marae kaumatua shouldn't do anything to undermine the authority of families.

He says many kaumatua aren't in a good position to impose a ban.

“Most of our kaumatua smoke anyway, so they’re not the ones to prosthletise. It’s people like me. I have never smoked. I was raidsed by my parents who said it is bad for the body, and alcohol drives people silly,” Puke said.

Hare Puke says several marae in Tainui have brought in non-smoking policies.

Gisborne iwi wary of Te Toka a Taiau plans

Ngati Porou Runanga chair Apirana Mahuika says a proposed tourism project around the spot where European and Maori first met should not be about money.

The original rock, Te Toka a Taiau near the mouth of the Turanganui River, was blasted away in 1877 when the port was developed..

The Tairawhiti Development Partnership wants to use the meeting between Captain James Cook and tangata whenua as the basis for an education and tourism complex which would qualify for regional development funding.

“Don't talk to us about commercialism, we want to talk abut our relationship as iwi in Tairawhiti to Te Toka a Taiau. We want to ensure that the history and culture and tikanga we are talking about in relation to Te Toka a Taiau is not compromised by money,” Mahuika said.

He says the right way is to raise it through the marae komiti process.

“What I am suggesting to people is they start signaling to maraes now, Mr Chairman, at the next AGM, I would like us to consider the issue of becoming smoke free. That way the marae has time to get the word out,” Harawira said.

Hone Harawira says he has asked his own marae at Waimanoni in the far north to implement a smoking ban.

TRIBUTE PAID TO PEGGY KAUA

Te Waka Toi chairperson Ngahuia Te Awekotuku says today's thriving Maori cultural scene is only possible by the work people have done over the decades.

The Maori arts council this weekend gave a Kingi Ihaka award to Peggy Kaua of Ngati Porou and Te Arawa for her lifelong contribution to traditional art.

Ms Te Awekotuku says Mrs Kaua, now in her nineties, has worked tirelessly over many years and been generous with her knowledge and skills.

“ She was actually one of the very privileged group that was trained and mentored by the late Ta Apirana Ngata. She worked closely with him, She is certainly one of our great leaders in the context of waiata aringa and mahi tututuku,” Te Awekottuku said.

Too many workers in Maori organisations are unaware of what they should be entitled to.

Rawhiti Moses, the former convenor of the Public Service Association's Runanga o Nga Toa Awhina, says the PSA wants to sign up such workers up so it can fight for better conditions

Mr Moses says the union is alarmed by feedback from former members and delegates who have shifted over to the non-government sector.

“They talk to their kaimahi and find they haven’t got a contract, they didn’t know they had to have one, they don’t get holidays, they don’t get paid for any professional development, and by the way, we’re all working on aroha at the moment.

Rawhiti Moses says about 10 percent of Public Service Association members are Maori.

Maui Solomon says the Halloween ta moko face painting kits being sold by a US website show why Maori must be constantly vigilant.

The site appears to have withdrawn the kits after email protests from Maori.

Mr Solomon says indigenous peoples are often keen for their culture to be more widely appreciated, but they want to retain control.

“Indigenous peoples want t maintain their identity, want to maintain the values of their culture, and don’t want it to be trivialised and abused by companies who are only interested in making a buck out of it, and if there is a buck to be made out of it, it should be the knowledge holders themselves who make those decisions, not for outsiders to come in and rip it off and make fun of it,” Solomon said.

Maui Solomon says the spate of recent incidents, such as the Maori brand Israeli tobacco, the Italian car ad haka and the moko Halloween kits, shows how Maori are running out of time to protect their intellectual property.

MAORI LITERATURE SOUGHT

A pioneer Maori publisher says more Maori writers are needed to create a substantial body of Maori literature.

Huia Publishers co-founder Robyn Rangihuia-Bargh was given a Te Tohu Toi Ke award from Maori arts council Te Waka Toi for her contribution to Maori arts and letters over the past 15 years.

Ms Rangihuia-Bargh more while there is much available of an extremely high standard, it isn't enough to slate the thirst of readers.

She says the literature needs to reflects the diverse range of Maori issues and voices out there.

“Literature should reflect the reality of our lives, and for Maori, we have a huge diverse range of reality. For some of us, violence is an issue, For others, living in a cross cultural community is a big issue. So there is a range of things, and we want our writers to reflect all types of experiences,” she said.

Robyn Rangihuia-Bargh says Maori have inherited a huge literary tradition from their tupuna which they should build on.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Arawa deal divides tribe - Flavell

The MP for Waiariki, Te Ururoa Flavell says last week’s $34 million settlement between the Crown and Nga Kauhautu o Te Arawa has caused deep divisions within the Tribe.

The draft settlement includes the return of many significant sites and the option for Te Arawa to buy large tracts of central North island Crown forest land.

Some Arawa Confederation members refused to join Nga Kaihautu, and Mr Flavell says the Crown's process is flawed.

“It's appropriate that significant sites come back to Te Arawa, I have no problem with that, but what we in the Maori Party have been very concerned about is the process used by the Crown to get settlements at all costs, and the cost of that has been splits in out whanau, hapu and iwi across the whole. confederation,” Flavell said.

Te Ururoa Flavell says settlements represent just a fraction of the value of what tribes lost.

MORE INVESTMENT IN YOUTH NEEDED

The Council of Trade Unions says investing in Maori youth is the key to further reducing Maori unemployment rates.

March quarter figures show Maori unemployment dropped from 8.7 percent to 8.2 percent, while overall unemployment dropped three points to 3.6 percent.

CTU president Ross Wilson says while the overall figures mare down, the number of young Maori unemployed is rising.

Mr Wilson says they need more targeted training.

“The unemployment rate has come down, and it has come down quite dramatically for Maori workers because there are programmes to assist people into employment, there are programmes the help people into training, and we need more of that,” Wilson said.

Ross Wilson says the lower unemployment rates show Wayne Mapp's Probationary Employment Bill, which would take away workers rights for the first 90 days in a job, is based on false assumptions.

WAKA TOI AWARDS GRANTED

Senior Maori artists were in Wellington on Saturday night, to receive awards from Te Waka Toi , the Maori arts board of Creative New Zealand.

Te Waka Toi chairperson Ngahuia Te Awekotuku says the recipients have spent years contributing to the cultural and social wellbeing of their communities.

Five kaumatua received the Kingi Ihaka Award for a lifelong contributions to the development and retention of maori arts and culture.

They were Peggy Kaua from Ngati Porou, for her work in Maori performing arts and weaving, Rangitihi Tahuparae, a renowned orator and translator in Parliament, Sophie Keefe from Ngati Kahungunu, for her work with the Mohaka community, Henare Kingi, for his services to Maori radio, and Rik Tau from Ngai Tuahuriri, for his promotion of Ngai Tahu culture.

Robyn Bargh, who set up Huia Publishers 15 years ago, received Te Tohu Toi ke, the inaugural award recognising an individual making a positive impact on the retention of Maori culture.

PSA TO TARGET IWI EMPLOYEES

The Public Service Association intends to target Maori organisations for members.

Rawhiti Moses, the outgoing convenor of the union's Runanga, says many Maori and iwi organisations claim they don't have the funds to give staff all the benefits they are entitled to.

Mr Moses says PSA Maori delegates regularly hear from non-members who say they have no support in their workplaces, or they can't find out what conditions they can expect.

“We find out from ex-PSA Maori delegates or Maori workers who say hey, my iwi is doing this, and we have all these kaimahi who are not protected or not this, so we are trying to answer those calls from people who have been part of the PSA,” Moses said.

Rawhiti Moses says the PSA Runanga is establishing what services it will be able to offer iwi workers.

CLAIMANTS WORN DOWN BY SETTLEMENT CRAWL

Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell says many old people are settle their Treaty of Waitangi claims too cheaply because they don't want their mokopuna to have to continue the fight.

Mr Flavell says some elders have spent their entire lives fighting tribal claims over breaches of the treaty.

He says it's a huge weight to carry, and is leading to fresh injustices.

“Our people get to a point of time when they get really hoha with dealing with the Crown, and say let’s take this amount of money, and yet it is well known and acknowledged by all parties that you will never get more than 3 percent, generally accepted about 1 percent of the value of your claim,” Flavell said.

Te Ururoa Flavell says the latest settlement of Te Arawa claims will create divisions in the tribe because of the way it was conducted.

HENARE KINGI HONOURED FOR ON AIR CAREER

A Ngapuhi man who has been broadcasting in te re maori in Wellington for over two decades, was one of 5 kaumatua to recieved awards over the weekend, for their contribution to the development and retention of maori arts and culture.

The Award ceremony for Te Waka Toi, the maori arm of Creative New Zealand, was held in the capital on Saturday night.

Henare Kingi hosts the breakfast programme on Te Upoko O te Ika, and was one of five kaumatua who recieved the Kingi Ihaka Award for their lifelong contribution to maori communities.

He says the focus on te reo maori hasn't changed in the 2 decades he's worked on maori radio in Wellington.

“Being with Te Upoko o Te Ika for 20 long years, and that’s just about when Maori radio started. Te Upoko, being the first Maori radio station to go to air, we haven’t changed since we started - we are trying to korero te reo Maori for the whole time we are on air,” Kingi said.